New Delhi: A day after Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asked him to resign if he cannot ensure the chief minister’s security, a cleric was arrested after a live bullet was recovered from his possession when he went to visit Mr Kejriwal at his residence in New Delhi.
On Tuesday, the police said that 39-year-old Mohammad Imran was arrested after a bullet was found in his bag during frisking. He is the caretaker of a mosque in Karol Bagh and a resident of Seelampur area of Northeast Delhi. He was arrested when he was going to attend a Janta Darbar (public meeting) at the chief minister’s residence. He is a muajjin at Masjid Bawli Wali.
Addl DCP (North) Harendra Singh said that Imran, a native of Loni in Ghaziabad, had gone to meet the chief minister at the Janta Darbar around 11.15 am. He was accompanied by 12 imams and maulvis to discuss the issue of salary increment of the staff working at the Delhi Waqf Board.
During the search, a live cartridge of .32 bore was recovered from his bag by the security staff deputed at Mr Kejriwal’s residence, Mr Singh said.
Imran was handed over to the local police. Accordingly, a case was registered at the Civil Lines police station under relevant Sections of the Arms Act. During interrogation, Imran said he was a muajjin (care taker) at Masjid Bawli Wali in Karol Bagh and a few months ago he had found a cartridge in the mosque’s donation box. He said he had planned to throw it in the Yamuna River, but did not do so. Instead, he kept it in his bag.
The incident comes days after Mr Kejriwal was attacked with chilli powder inside the Delhi Secretariat.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) described the attack as “politically motivated” and alleged that BJP is hatching a conspiracy in collusion with the Delhi police to attack the chief minister.
